Food 1

LAWS OF MALAYSIA
REPRINT

Act 281

FOOD ACT 1983

Incorporating all amendments up to 1 January 2006

PUBLISHED BY
THE COMMISSIONER OF LAW REVISION, MALAYSIA
UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE REVISION OF LAWS ACT 1968
IN COLLABORATION WITH
PERCETAKAN NASIONAL MALAYSIA BHD
2006
2 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

FOOD ACT 1983

Date of Royal Assent ... ... ... … … 9 March 1983

Date of publication in the Gazette … ... 10 March 1983

PREVIOUS R EPRINTS

First Reprint ... ... ... ... ... 2001

Second Reprint ... ... ... ... ... 2005
 Food 3

LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 281

FOOD ACT 1983

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I

PRELIMINARY

Section
1. Short title, application and commencement
2. Interpretation

PART II

ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT

3. Appointment of analysts and authorized officers

3A. Approved laboratories
4. Powers of authorized officers
5. Power to take sample
6. Procedure for taking sample
7. Certificate of analyst
8. Power to call for information
9. Power of the Director General to obtain particulars of certain food
ingredients
10. Director may order food premises or appliances to be put into hygienic
and sanitary condition
11. Closure of insanitary premises
12. Conviction published in newspapers
4 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281
P ART III

OFFENCES AND EVIDENCE

Section
12A. Meaning of “owner of the rights of the manufacturer or packer”
13. Food containing substances injurious to health
13A. Food unfit for human consumption
13B. Adulterated food
13C. Removal of food from food premises
14. Prohibition against the sale of food not of the nature, substance or
quality demanded
15. Labelling, etc., not complying with standard of food
16. False labelling, etc.
17. Advertisement
18. Power of court to order licence to be cancelled and food to be disposed
of
19. Prosecutions
20. Certificate of analyst to be prima facie evidence
21. Court may order independent analysis
22. Presumption of sale, etc.
23. No defence that offence not wilfully committed
23A. Advance notice of expert evidence in court
24. Sales, etc., by agent or servant
25. Presumption for human consumption
26. Non-disclosure of information
27. Manufacturing process and trade secret
28. Liability of importer, manufacturer, packer, etc.

PART IV

IMPORTATION, WARRANTY AND DEFENCES

29. Importation
30. Warranty
31. Reliance on written warranty a good defence
32. Penalty for false warranty
 Food 5
PART V

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section
32 A. Prosecution
33. Power to compound
33 A. Offence by body corporate
33B. Protection against legal proceedings
33C. Indemnity
34. Power to make regulations
35. Repeal and savings
36. Application to tobacco, etc.
6 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281
 Food 7

LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 281

FOOD ACT 1983

An Act to protect the public against health hazards and fraud in

the preparation, sale and use of food, and for matters incidental
thereto or connected therewith.

[1 October 1985, P.U. (B) 446/1985]

BE IT ENACTED by the Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan

Agong with the advice and consent of the Dewan Negara and
Dewan Rakyat in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of
the same, as follows:

PART I

PRELIMINARY

Short title, application and commencement

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Food Act 1983 and shall apply
throughout Malaysia.

(2) This Act shall come into force on such date as the Minister
may by notification in the Gazette appoint and the Minister may
appoint different dates for the coming into force of this Act for
different States in Malaysia or for different provisions of this Act.

Interpretation

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

“advertisement” includes any representation by any means

whatsoever for the purposes of promoting directly or indirectly the
sale or other disposal of any food;

“analyst” means any analyst appointed under section 3;

8 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

“animal” includes any quadruped or bird either domesticated or

otherwise, fish, reptile or insect, whole or part of which are used
for human consumption;

“appliance” includes the whole or any part of any utensil,

machinery, instrument, apparatus, or article used for or in connection
with the preparation, preservation, packaging, storage, conveyance,
distribution or sale of food;

“approved laboratory” means any laboratory approved by the

Minister under section 3A;

“authorized officer” means any medical officer of health or any

health inspector of the Ministry of Health or of any local authority,
or any suitably qualified person, appointed by the Minister to be
an authorized officer under section 3;

“Director” means the Deputy Director General of Health(Public

Health) of the Ministry of Health;

“Director General” means the Director General of Health of the

Ministry of Health;

“entertainment” includes any social or other form of gathering,

amusement, festival, exhibition, performance, game, competition,
sport or trial of skill;

“food” includes every article manufactured, sold or represented

for use as food or drink for human consumption or which enters
into or is used in the composition, preparation, preservation, of
any food or drink and includes confectionery, chewing substances
and any ingredient of such food, drink, confectionery or chewing
substances;

“food premises” means premises used for or in conection with

the preparation, preservation, packaging, storage, conveyance,
distribution or sale of any food, or the relabelling, reprocessing or
reconditioning of any food;

“import” means to bring or cause to be brought into Malaysia

by land, water or air for the purpose of sale from any place outside
Malaysia but does not include the bringing into Malaysia of any
food which it is proved is intended to be taken out of Malaysia
on the same vehicle, vessel, or aircraft on which such food was
brought into Malaysia without any transhipment or landing;
 Food 9

“importer” includes any person who, whether as owner, consignor,

consignee, agent or broker, is in possession of, or is otherwise
entitled to the custody or control, of the imported food;

“International Health Regulations” means the International Health

Regulations as adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1969 and
as amended from time to time;

“label” includes any tag, brand, mark, pictorial or other descriptive

matter, written, printed, stencilled, marked, painted, embossed or
impressed on, or attached to or included in, belonging to, or
accompanying any food;

“medical examination” includes physical, microbiological,

chemical, serological and radiological examination, and such
examination may include the taking of specimen of any body fluid,
tissue or waste product for examination or analysis;

“package” includes anything in which or any means by which

food is wholly or partly cased, covered, enclosed, contained, placed
or otherwise packed in any way whatsoever and includes any
basket, pail, tray or receptacle of any kind whether opened or
closed;

“premises” includes—
(a) any building or tent or any other structure, permanent or
otherwise together with the land on which the building,
tent or other structure is situated and any adjoining land
used in connection therewith and any vehicle, conveyance,
vessel or aircraft; and
(b) for the purposes of section 4 any street, open space or
place of public resort or bicycle or any vehicle used for
or in connection with the preparation, preservation,
packaging, storage, conveyance, distribution or sale of
any food;

“preparation” includes manufacture, packaging, processing and

any form of treatment;

“seal” includes the detention in bulk of any food, a sample of

which has been taken for analysis, pending the result of the analysis;
10 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

“sell or sale ” refers only to sale for human consumption or use

and includes barter and exchange, offering or attempting to sell,
causing or allowing to be sold, exposing for sale, receiving, sending,
conveying or delivering for sale or exchange or in pursuance of
such sale or exchange, supplying any food where consideration is
to be received by the supplier for such supply either specifically
or as part of a service contracted for sale, or having in possession
any food for sale or exchange, or having in possession any food
or appliance knowing that the food or appliance is likely to be sold
or offered or displayed or exposed for sale or disposed of for any
consideration, and includes electronic sale;

“tobacco” means any product obtained from the leaf of the

Nicotiana Tobacum plant or other related plants and includes any
tobacco product;

“tobacco product” means tobacco, cigarette or cigar or any other

form of tobacco including any mixture containing tobacco which
is designed for human consumption but excludes any medicinal
product controlled under the Poisons Act 1952 [Act 366] or the
Control of Drugs and Cosmestics Regulations 1984 [P.U. (A) 223/
1984];

“vegetable substance” means any plant or part of a plant, and

includes the stem, root, bark, tuber, rhizome, leaf, stalk, inflorescence,
bud, shoot, flowers, fruit and seed, or an extract thereof.

PART II

ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT

Appointment of analysts and authorized officers

3. (1) The Minister may appoint such number of analysts as he

may consider necessary for the purposes of this Act and may make
regulations concerning their qualifications, conduct and duties,
and shall prepare or cause to be prepared a list of appointed
analysts and revise it as the circumstances may require.

(2) The Minister may appoint such number of authorized officers

as he may consider necessary for the purposes of this Act and
every authorized officer shall be issued with a Certificate of
 Food 11

Authorization which certificate shall in any legal proceedings under

this Act be admissible in evidence and shall be prima facie evidence
of the facts so certified.

(3) The Minister may, in relation to any matter which appears

to him to affect the general interests of the consumer, authorize
any public officer to procure for analysis samples of any food, and
thereupon that officer shall have all the powers of an authorized
officer under this Act, and this Act shall apply as if the officer was
an authorized officer.

(4) The analysts and authorized officers appointed under this

section shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning
of the Penal Code [Act 574].

Approved laboratories

3A. (1) The Minister may, by order, approve such number of

laboratories as he may consider necessary for the purposes of this
Act.

(2) A laboratory approved under subsection (1) shall be issued

with a Certificate of Approval which certificate shall, in any legal
proceedings under this Act, be admissible in evidence and shall
be prima facie evidence of the facts so certified.

(3) The Minister shall prepare or cause to be prepared a list of

approved laboratories and revise it as the circumstances may require.

Powers of authorized officer

4. (1) An authorized officer may at any time for the proper and
better performance of his duty—
(a) enter any premises which he believes to be food premises
and examine any food found therein and take samples of
such food, and examine anything that he believes is used
or capable of being used for the preparation, preservation,
packaging, storage, conveyance, distribution or sale of
the food;
(b) stop, search or detain any aircraft, ship or vehicle in
which he believes on reasonable grounds that any food
to which this Act applies is being conveyed and examine
12 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

any such food and take samples thereof for the purposes
of this Act, except an aircraft, ship or vehicle making an
international voyage in respect of which the International
Health Regulations apply;
(c) open and examine any package which he believes contains
any food to which this Act applies;
(d) examine any books, documents or other records found in
any food premises that he believes contain any information
relevant to the enforcement of this Act with respect to
any food to which this Act applies and make copies
thereof or take extracts there from;
(e) demand the production of the National Registration Identity
Card, the Business Registration Certificate or any other
relevant document which the authorized officer may require;
(f) seize and detain for such time as may be necessary any
food or appliance by means of or in relation to which he
believes any provision of this Act has been contravened;
or
(g) mark, seal or otherwise secure, weigh, count or measure
any food or appliance, the preparation, preservation,
packaging, storage, conveyance, distribution or sale of
which is or appears to be contrary to this Act.

(1A) In the course of the exercise of his powers under subsection

(1) an authorized officer may examine orally the owner, occupier
or person in charge of the food premises, or any person found in
the food premises, whom he believes to be acquainted with the
facts and circumstances of any matter under this Act.

(1B ) A person examined under subsection (1A) shall be legally

bound to answer truthfully all questions put to him:

Provided that a person examined under this subsection may

refuse to answer any question the answer to which would have a
tendency to expose him to a criminal charge or penalty or forfeiture.

(1 C ) An authorized officer examining a person under

subsection (1A) shall first inform that person of the provisions of
subsection (1B ).
 Food 13

(1D) A statement made by a person under subsections (1A) and(1B)

shall, whenever possible, be reduced into writing and signed by
the person making it or affixed with his thumb print, as the case
may be, after it has been read to him in the language in which he
made it and after he has been given an opportunity to make any
correction he may wish.

(1E ) Any statement made and recorded under this section shall
be admissible as evidence in any proceedings in Court.

(2) An authorized officer acting under this section shall, if so

required, produce his Certificate of Authorization.

(3) Any owner, occupier or person in charge of any food premises

entered by any authorized officer pursuant to paragraph (1)(a), or
any person found therein, who does not give to the authorized
officer all reasonable assistance in his power or furnish him with
all the information as he may reasonably require, commits an
offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding one year or to fine or to both.

(4) Any person who obstructs or impedes any authorized officer

in the course of his duty or prevents or attempts to prevent the
execution by the authorized officer of his duty commits an offence
and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
one year or to fine or to both.

(5) An authorized officer may arrest without warrant any person

whom he has reason to believe to have committed an offence under
this Act or any regulation made thereunder if the person fails to
furnish his name and address or there are reasonable grounds for
believing that he has furnished a false name or address or that he
is likely to abscond:

Provided that when any person has been arrested as aforesaid

he shall thereafter be dealt with as provided by the Criminal Procedure
Code [Act 593].

(6) Any person who knowingly makes any false or misleading

statement either verbally or in writing to any authorized officer
engaged in carrying out his duty commits an offence and is liable
on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year
or to fine or to both.
14 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

(7) An authorized officer shall release any food seized by him

when he is satisfied that all the provisions of the Act with respect
to it have been complied.

(8) Where an authorized officer has seized any food and the
owner or the person in whose possession the food was at the time
of seizure consents in writing to its destruction, the food may be
destroyed or otherwise disposed of as the authorized officer may
direct and if the owner or the person does not consent to the
destruction of the food, the authorized officer may apply to a court
for the destruction or disposal of the food or any appliance and
the court may make an order as it may deem fit, notwithstanding
that the owner or the person has not been convicted of any offence
in connection with the food.

(9) Where an authorized officer has seized any food which is

perishable in nature and the owner or the person in whose possession
the food was at the time of seizure does not consent in writing to
its destruction, the responsibility for proper storage of such food
so as to prevent it from deterioration, spoilage, damage or theft,
pending judgment by the court, lies with the owner or such person.

(10) Where any food or appliance has been seized and detained
under paragraph (1)(f) and the owner thereof has been convicted
of an offence the food or appliance may be destroyed or otherwise
disposed of as the court may direct.

(11) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section an

authorized officer may destroy any food wherever found which is
decayed, putrefied or injurious to health or food the importation
of which is prohibited or food which is surrendered by the owner
for destruction on payment by him of reasonable charges.

(12) Any person who removes, alters or interferes in any way

with any food seized or sealed under this Act without the authority
of an authorized officer commits an offence and is liable on conviction
to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to fine or
to both.

(13) Any food seized may at the option of an authorized officer

be kept or stored in the premises where it was seized or may at
the direction of an authorized officer be removed to any other
proper place.
 Food 15

(14) An authorized officer may submit any food seized by him

or any sample from it or any other sample taken by him to any
approved laboratory for analysis or examination.

(15) (Deleted by Act A1117).

Power to take sample

5. (1) On payment or tender to any person selling food or to his

agent or servant, of the current market value of the food, any
authorized officer may at any place demand and select and take
or obtain samples of the food for the purpose of analysis.

(2) An authorized officer may at any place demand and select

and take or obtain samples for the purpose of analysis without
payment from any manufacturer making food for sale or from any
importer of any food or from his agent or servant.

(3) Any such authorized officer may require the person or his
agent or servant to show and permit the inspection of the package
in which such food is at the time kept and to take therefrom the
samples demanded.

(4) Where any food is kept for retail sale in an unopened package,
no person shall be required by any authorized officer to sell less
than the whole of the contents of such package.

(5) Any person who refuses or neglects to comply with any

demand or requisition made by an authorized officer in pursuance
of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to fine or to
both.

Procedure for taking sample

6. (1) Where it is intended to submit any sample of any food for

analysis the authorized officer purchasing or otherwise procuring
the sample shall inform the seller or his agent or servant selling
the food that he intends to have the sample analysed by an analyst.

(2) The procedure for taking and dealing with the samples shall
be as prescribed by regulations.
16 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

Certificate of analyst

7. (1) The certificate of the analyst shall be in the form as prescribed

by regulations.

(2) Where any method of analysis has been prescribed by

regulations for the analysis of any food, the analyst shall follow,
and in his certificate of analysis declare that he has followed, the
prescribed method.

(3) A copy of the result of any analysis of any food procured

by an authorized officer may be obtained from the analyst by the
person from whom the food so analysed was purchased or obtained
on payment of such fee as may be prescribed.

(4) No copy of the result of any analysis made under this Act
or any reproduction thereof shall be displayed or used as an
advertisement and if any person so displays or uses such copy or
reproduction he commits an offence and is liable on conviction to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to fine or to
both.

Power to call for information

8. (1) If any authorized officer is of the opinion that there is

reasonable ground for suspecting that any person is in possession
of any food or other substance or any appliance for the purpose
of or in connection with the preparation, preservation, packaging,
storage, conveyance, distribution or sale of food in breach of any
of the provisions of this Act or any regulations made thereunder
he may require such person to produce for his inspection any
books, documents or other records or any other information relating
to the importation, preparation, reception, possession, purchase,
sale or delivery of such food or other substance or any appliance.

(2) Any authorized officer mentioned in subsection (1) may

make or cause to be made copies of or extracts from any such
books, documents or records, or any other information and such
copies or extracts certified as such by such authorized officer
shall, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed to be true and
correct copies or extracts.
 Food 17

(3) Any person who refuses or neglects to comply with any

requisition made in pursuance of this section commits an offence
and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
one year or to fine or to both.

(4) Any authorized officer who—

(a) does not maintain the secrecy of all matters which come
to his knowledge in the performance of his official duties
under this section; or
(b) communicates any such matter to any person except for
the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this
Act,

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment

for a term not exceeding three years or to fine or to both.

Power of the Director General to obtain particulars of certain

food ingredients

9. (1) The Director General may after obtaining an approval in

writing from the Minister direct any person who at the date of the
direction or at any subsequent time carries on a business which
includes the production, importation or use of any substance to
which this Act applies to furnish to him, within such time as may
be specified in such direction, such particulars as may be specified,
of the composition and use of any such substance sold or for sale
in the course of that business or used in the preparation of food.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), a

direction made thereunder may require the following particulars
to be furnished in respect of any substance, that is to say—
(a) particulars of the composition and chemical formula of
the substance;
(b) particulars of the manner in which the substance is used
or proposed to be used in the preparation of food;
(c) particulars of any investigation carried out by or to the
knowledge of the person carrying on the business in
question, for the purpose of determining whether and to
what extent the substance, or any product formed when
the substance is used as aforesaid, is injurious to, or in
any other way affects, health;
18 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

(d) particulars of any investigation or enquiries carried out

by or to the knowledge of the person carrying on the
business in question, for the purposes of determining the
cumulative effect on the health of a person consuming
the substance in ordinary quantities.

(3) No particulars furnished in accordance with a direction under

this section and no information relating to any individual business
obtained by means of such particulars shall, without the previous
consent in writing of the person carrying on the business in question,
be disclosed except in due discharge of his duties under this Act,
and any person who discloses any such particulars of information
in contravention of this subsection commits an offence and is
liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five
years or to fine or to both.

Director may order food premises or appliances to be put into

hygienic and sanitary condition

10. (1) Where the Director or an officer authorized by him in this

particular respect is satisfied, by his own inspection or the report
of an authorized officer, that any food premises, or any appliances
used for or in connection with the preparation, preservation,
packaging, storage, conveyance, distribution or sale of food, is in
a condition that fails to comply with any hygiene and sanitary
requirements specified in regulations made under this Act, he may,
by instrument in writing served on the proprietor, owner or occupier
of such premises, or the proprietor or owner of such appliance,
order that the premises or appliance be put into a hygienic and
sanitary condition to the satisfaction of an authorized officer within
a period specified in the instrument.

(2) If after the expiration of that period, the Director or an

officer authorized by him in this particular respect is not satisfied
that the food premises or appliance to which the order relates has
been put into a condition that complies with the hygienic and
sanitary requirements the Director or the officer may, by instrument
in writing, served on the proprietor, owner or occupier of the food
premises or the proprietor or owner of the appliance, as the case
may be, order that—
(a) the food premises shall not be kept for the preparation,
preservation, packaging, storage or sale or, in the case
of a vehicle, for the conveyance, distribution or sale of
any food; and
 Food 19

(b) the appliance shall not be used in or for the preparation,

preservation, packaging, handling, supplying, or serving
of any food,

until an authorized officer has given or otherwise deemed to have

given to the proprietor, owner or occupier of the food premises or
the proprietor or owner of the appliance, as the case may be, a
certificate in writing that the food premises or appliance has been
put into a condition which complies with the hygienic and sanitary
requirements.

(3) The proprietor, owner or occupier of any food premises or

the proprietor or owner of any appliance on whom an order under
subsection (2) is served may at any time after the order has been
served request, in writing, the Director or an officer authorized by
him in this particular respect to cause the food premises or appliance
to be inspected by an authorized officer at a places specified in
the request.

(4) Where a request is so made, an authorized officer shall

inspect the food premises or appliance to which the request relates
within a period of seven days after the receipt of the request by
the Director or the officer authorized by him in this particular
respect, and the authorized officer making the inspection shall if
he is satisfied that the food premises or appliance has been put in
a condition that complies with the hygienic and sanitary requirements,
give to the proprietor, owner or occupier of the food premises or
the proprietor or owner of the appliance, a certificate to that effect.

(5) Where a request is so made and the food premises or appliance

is not inspected by an authorized officer within a period of seven
days after that receipt of the request by the Director or the officer
authorized by him in this particular respect, a certificate in respect
of the food premises or appliance shall be deemed to have been
given to the proprietor, owner or occupier of the food premises or
the proprietor or owner of the appliance.

(6) Where an order under subsection (2) has been served on the
proprietor, owner or occupier of any food premises, or the proprietor
or owner of any appliance and a certificate in respect thereof has
not subsequently been given or has not otherwise been deemed to
have been given any person who—
(a) keeps or uses the food premises or any part of the
food premises for the preparation, preservation, packaging,
20 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

storage or sale or in the case of a vehicle, for the conveyance,

distribution or sale of any food; or
(b) uses the appliance in or for the preparation, preservation,
packaging, handling, supplying or serving of any food,

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment

for a term not exceeding five years or to fine or to both.

Closure of insanitary premises

11. The Director or an officer authorized by him in this particular

respect may in writing order the closure forthwith not exceeding
fourteen days of any premises preparing or selling food where the
Director or the officer authorized by him in this particular respect
is of the opinion that such premises is in a condition that fails to
comply with the sanitary and hygienic requirements and such that
it is likely to be hazardous to health, and the proprietor, owner or
occupier of the premises who fails to comply with the order commits
an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term
not exceeding five years or to fine or to both.

Conviction published in newspapers

12. A notification of the name and occupation of any person who

has been convicted of any offence against this Act or any regulation
made thereunder together with his place or places of business, the
nature of the offence and the fine, forfeiture, or other penalty
inflicted shall, if the court so orders, be published in any newspaper
circulating in Malaysia or in any part thereof, and the court shall
further order the person convicted to pay the cost of such publication
and such cost shall be treated as if it was a fine imposed by such
court.

PART III

OFFENCES AND EVIDENCE

Meaning of “owner of the rights of the manufacturer or packer”

12A. (1) For the purposes of this Part, the term “owner of the
rights of the manufacturer or packer” means—
(a) in the case of foreign manufactured or packed food, any
person who owns the exclusive rights to distribute or sell
 Food 21

the food in Malaysia by way of licence, agreement or

franchise from the foreign manufacturer; or
(b) in the case of locally manufactured or packed food, any
person who, not being the manufacturer or packer, has
proprietary rights over the distribution and sale of the
food, or who, being the manufacturer or packer, distributes
or sells the food through and in the name of a marketing
agent.

(2) The term “owner of the rights of the manufacturer or packer”

in subsection (1) extends also to any person who, in relation to
food, claims or holds himself out as one, whether the food is
imported or locally manufactured or packed.

Food containing substances injurious to health

13. (1) Any person who prepares or sells any food that has in or
upon it any substance which is poisonous, harmful or otherwise
injurious to health commits an offence and shall be liable, on
conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand ringgit
or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or to both.

(2) In determining whether any food is injurious to health for

the purpose of subsection (1), regard shall be had not only to the
probable effect of that food on the health of a person consuming
it but also to the probable cumulative effect of the food of substantially
the same composition on the health of a person consuming the
food in ordinary quantities.

Food unfit for human consumption

13A. (1) Any person who prepares or sells any food that consists
wholly or in part of—
(a) any diseased, filthy, decomposed or putrid animal or
vegetable substance;
(b) any portion of an animal unfit for food; or
(c) the product of an animal which has died otherwise than
by slaughter or as game,

whether manufactured or not, commits an offence and shall be

liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand ringgit
or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding eight years or to both.
22 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

(2) Any person who prepares or sells any food that contains or
upon which there is any matter foreign to the nature of such food,
or is otherwise unfit for human consumption, whether manufactured
or not, commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to
a fine not exceeding thirty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for
a term not exceeding five years or to both.

(3) Any person who prepares or sells any food whether

manufactured or not that is enclosed in a sealed package and the
package is damaged and can no longer ensure protection to its
contents from contamination or deterioration, commits an offence
and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding thirty
thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five
years or to both.

Adulterated food

13B. (1) No person shall prepare or sell any adulterated food.

(2) For the purposes of and without prejudice to the generality

of subsection (1), any food shall be deemed to be adulterated if—
(a) it contains or is mixed or diluted with any substance
which diminishes in any manner its nutritive or other
beneficial properties as compared with such food in a
pure, normal or specified state and in an undeteriorated
and sound condition, or which in any other manner operates
or may operate to the prejudice or disadvantage of the
purchaser or consumer;
(b) any substance or ingredient has been extracted, wholly
or in part, or omitted, from the food and by reason of
such extraction or omission, the nutritive or other beneficial
properties of the food are less than those of the food in
its specified state, or the food operates or may operate
to the prejudice or disadvantage of the purchaser or
consumer;
(c) it contains or is mixed or diluted with any substance of
lower commercial value than such food in a pure, normal
or specified state and in an undeteriorated and sound
condition;
(d) it contains any substance the addition of which is not
permitted by this Act or any regulations made under this
Act;
 Food 23

(e) it does not comply with the standard or specification

prescribed by any regulations made under this Act;
(f) it contains a greater proportion of any substance than is
permitted by this Act or any regulations made under this
Act;
(g) it is mixed, coloured, powdered, coated, stained, prepared
or otherwise treated in a manner whereby damage or
inferiority may be concealed; or
(h) it is in a package, and the contents of the package as
originally packed have been removed in whole or in part
and other contents have been placed in the package.

(3) For the purposes of and without prejudice to the generality

of paragraph (2)(d), the addition of any substance to the food shall
be deemed to be not permitted or shall be deemed to be prohibited
by or under this Act if the standards or specifications prescribed
for the food by regulations made under this Act do not expressly
provide for the addition of such substance.

(4) A person who contravenes any of the provisions of this

section commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to
a fine not exceeding twenty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment
for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

Removal of food from food premises

13C. (1) Where any food is found to have contravened or reasonably

suspected to have contravened any provision of this Act or any
regulations made under this Act, the Director or any authorized
officer authorized by the Director may, by notice in writing, order
any of the persons in section 24 to recall, remove, or withdraw
from sale such food from any food premises within such time as
may be specified in the notice.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), it shall be the duty of any

of the persons in section 24, if he knows or has reason to believe
or it has come to his knowledge that any food imported, manufactured,
packed, farmed, prepared or sold by him has contravened section
13, 13A or 13B, to recall, remove or withdraw from sale such food
from any food premises with immediate effect.
24 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

(3) A person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) commits an

offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding
one hundred thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding ten years or to both.

Prohibition against sale of food not of the nature, substance or

quality demanded

14. (1) Any person who sells any food which is not of the nature,
or is not of the substance, or is not of the quality (as specified
under this Act and any regulation made thereunder) of the food
demanded by the purchaser, commits an offence and is liable on
conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or
to fine or to both.

(2) Where regulations made under this Act contain provisions

prescribing the standard of any food or the composition of, or
prohibiting or restricting the addition of, any substance to any
food, a purchaser of the food shall, unless the contrary be proved,
be deemed for the purpose of this section to have demanded food
complying with the provisions of such regulations.

Labelling, etc., not complying with standard of food

15. Where a standard has been prescribed for any food, any
person who prepares, packages, labels or advertises any food which
does not comply with that standard, in such a manner that it is
likely to be mistaken for food of the prescribed standard, commits
an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term
not exceeding three years or to fine or to both.

False labelling, etc.

16. Any person who prepares, packages, labels or sells any food
in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive as regards its
character, nature, value, substance, quality, composition, merit or
safety, strength, purity, weight, origin, age or proportion or in
contravention of any regulation made under this Act commits an
offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding three years or to fine or to both.
 Food 25

Advertisement

17. (1) Any person who for the purpose of affecting or promoting
the sale of any food, publishes or causes to be published, either
on his own account or as the agent or servant of the person seeking
to effect or promote the sale, any advertisement relating or likely
to cause any person to believe that it relates to such food, or to
any ingredient or constituent thereof, which—
(a) directly or indirectly qualifies or is inconsistent with or
contrary to any particulars required by regulations made
under this Act to be marked on or attached to such food
or marked on or attached to any package containing such
food;
(b) is prohibited by any such regulations from being marked
on or attached to such food or marked on or attached to
any package containing such food;
(c) omits from the name or description of any food any word
or words required by regulations made under this Act to
be included in the name or description marked on or
attached to such food or marked on or attached to any
package containing such food; or
(d) is likely to deceive a purchaser with regard to the character,
nature, value, substance, quality, strength, purity,
composition, merit or safety, weight, proportion, origin,
age or effects of any food or of any ingredient or constituent
thereof,

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment

for a term not exceeding three years or to fine or to both.

(2) Any person who publishes or causes to be published any

advertisement which does not contain a statement setting forth the
true name of the person by whom or on whose behalf the
advertisement is published and the address of his place of business
or residence, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to fine or
to both:

Provided that where such person is a company it shall be sufficient

if instead of the address of the place of business of such company
the statement sets forth the name of the place where the company
has its registered office.
26 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

(3) Nothing in subsection (2)—

(a) shall apply in respect of any advertisement that is published
orally or by any means of producing or transmitting light
or sound; or
(b) shall affect the operation of any other provision of this
Act or any regulation made thereunder which relates to
the labelling of food.

(4) Any statement which is contained in an advertisement for

any food and which purports to set forth the name of the person
by whom or on whose behalf such advertisement is published,
shall, until the contrary is proved, be sufficient evidence of the
name of such person.

(5) Nothing in this section shall apply to any advertisement

which complies with any regulation made under this Act relating
to the disclosure or otherwise of the name and address of the place
of business or residence of the manufacturer or seller of the food
advertised or the agent of such manufacturer or seller.

Power of court to order licence to be cancelled and food to be

disposed of

18. (1) On the conviction of any person of any offence under this
Act the court may, in addition to any other penalty which it may
lawfully impose, cancel any licence issued to such person under
this Act or any regulation made thereunder.

(2) Where a person has been convicted of an offence under this

Act, the court may order any food of a similar nature belonging
to or in the possession of the convicted person or anything found
with such food be forfeited, and upon such order being made such
food or things may be disposed of as the court directs.

Prosecutions

19. (1) Where any analyst having analysed or examined any food
to which this Act applies, has given a certificate and from that
certificate it appears that an offence under this Act has been
committed, an authorized officer may, subject to section 377 of
 Food 27

the Criminal Procedure Code and section 32A, take proceedings

under this Act before any court having jurisdiction in the place
where the food sold was actually delivered to the purchaser or the
sample thereof taken.

(1A) The certificate of the analyst referred to in subsection (1)

shall be issued to the Director or any authorized officer within
ninety days from the date the food was sent for analysis.

(2) Where any food has been purchased or procured from any
person for analysis or examination, no proceedings in respect of
the sale thereof or of any offence against this Act shall be instituted
after the expiration of one hundred and fifty days from the time
of purchasing or procuring that food.

(3) In any proceedings under this Act, the contents of any package
appearing to be intact and in the original state of packing by the
manufacturer thereof shall be deemed, unless the contrary is proved,
to be food of the description specified on the label.

Certificate of analyst to be prima facie evidence

20. In any proceedings under this Act a certificate of analysis

purporting to be signed by the analyst shall be accepted as prima
facie evidence of the facts stated therein provided that—
(i) the party against whom it is produced may require the
attendance of the analyst for the purpose of cross-
examination if a notice requiring the attendance of the
analyst has been given to the prosecution three clear days
before the trial; and
(ii) no such certificate of the analyst shall be received in
evidence unless the party intending to produce it has
before the trial given notice to the party against whom
it is intended to be produced ten clear days of such
intention together with a copy of the certificate.

Court may order independent analysis

21. (1) Where a sample has been taken or procured in accordance

with section 5 or dealt with under regulations made under that
section, the court before which any proceedings for an offence
against this Act are heard may where it is reasonably and technically
28 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

practicable so to do and on the request of either party to such

proceedings order that the part of the sample retained by the
authorized officer be submitted to another analyst for analysis:

Provided that the authorized officer is required to retain part of

the sample for such purpose.

(2) The court may order the party making the request to pay the
costs of the analysis.

Presumption of sale, etc.

22. In any proceedings under this Act—

(a) evidence that the package containing any food to which
this Act applies bore the name, address or registered
mark of an importer, manufacturer or packer, or of the
owner of the rights of the manufacturer or packer, or of
an agent of any of them, shall be prima facie evidence
that the food was imported, manufactured or packed, as
the case may be, by each of the persons whose name,
address or registered mark is borne on the package;
(b) any substance commonly used for human consumption,
which is sold or offered, exposed or kept for sale, shall
be presumed, until the contrary is proved, to have been
sold or, as the case may be, to be intended for sale for
human consumption;
(c) any substance commonly used for human consumption
which is found on premises used for the preparation,
storage or sale of that substance and any substance
commonly used in the manufacture of products for human
consumption which is found on premises used for the
preparation, storage or sale of those products, shall be
presumed, until the contrary is proved, to be intended for
sale, or for manufacturing products for sale, for human
consumption; and
(d) any substance capable of being used in the composition
or preparation of any substance commonly used for human
consumption which is found on premises on which that
substance is prepared shall, until the contrary is proved,
be presumed to be intended for such use.
 Food 29

No defence that offence not wilfully committed

23. In a prosecution for selling any food contrary to the provisions

of this Act or of any regulation made thereunder it shall be no
defence that the defendant did not act wilfully unless he also
proves that he took all reasonable steps to ascertain that the sale
of the food would not constitute an offence against this Act or
against any regulation made thereunder.

Advance notice of expert evidence in court

23A. In any proceedings for an offence under this Act, no expert

evidence shall be received in evidence unless, within a period
ending ten clear days before the trial, the person charged with the
offence has served on the prosecution notice in writing that he
intends to adduce expert evidence, and shall disclose in the notice
the name of the expert and the nature of the expert evidence; and
shall also furnish a copy of any document that the expert proposes
to adduce at the hearing.

Sales, etc., by agent or servant

24. (1) For the purposes of this Act every person who prepares,
packages, labels, advertises or sells any food shall be deemed to
do so either on his own account or as the agent or servant of any
other person.

(2) In the case of any preparation, packaging, labelling,

advertisement or sale by an agent or servant, his principal or
employer shall be under the same liability as if he had effected
the preparation, packaging, labelling, advertisement or sale personally.

(3) In the case of a sale of any food in contravention of this Act

or any regulations made under this Act by a retailer or seller, or
his servant or agent, the retailer, seller, servant or agent effecting
the sale shall, for the purpose of this Act, be deemed to be the
agent of the importer, manufacturer, packer, farmer, person who
prepares the food or the owner of the rights of the manufacturer
or packer, or the agent to the agent of any of them, and each of
those persons shall be under the same liability as that of the
retailer or seller or the servant or agent as if he had himself
effected the sale unless such person proves that he could not have
been responsible for such contravention.
30 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

Presumption for human consumption

25. (1) When any food is sold or exposed or offered for sale it
shall, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed to be sold or
exposed or offered for sale for human consumption.

(2) The purchase and sale of a sample of food under the provisions
of this Act for the purpose of analysis shall be deemed to be a
purchase and sale of such food for human consumption unless the
seller proves that the bulk from which such sample was taken was
not offered, exposed, or intended for sale for human consumption.

(3) For the purpose of this Act every person shall be deemed
to sell or to intend to sell any food if he sells or intends to sell
for human consumption any food of which such food is a constituent.

Non-disclosure of information

26. (1) No prosecutor or witness in any prosecution under this

Act shall be compelled to disclose the fact that he received any
information or the nature of such information or the name of any
person who gives such information.

(2) No officer appearing as a prosecutor or witness shall be

compelled to produce any confidential report or document made
or received by him in his official capacity or to make any statement
in relation thereto.

Manufacturing process and trade secret

27. Any person who discloses any information obtained by him

in connection with the administration or execution of this Act or
any regulation made thereunder in relation to any manufacturing
process or trade secret used in carrying on any particular trade,
industry or process, shall unless the disclosure was made for the
purposes of this Act or of any criminal proceedings under this Act
or with the consent of the person carrying on that trade, industry
or process, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to fine or to
both.
 Food 31

Liability of importer, manufacturer, packer, etc.

28. Where food in connection with which there is a contravention

of any provision of this Act or any regulations made under this
Act is sold in an unopened package, any person who appears from
any statement appearing on the package or attached to the package
to have imported or manufactured or prepared the food or to have
enclosed it in such package, or to be the owner of the rights of
the manufacturer or packer, or to be the agent of any of them,
shall, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed to have so imported,
manufactured, prepared, or enclosed the food in the unopened
package and shall be liable to the same penalty as if he had
actually sold the food in such package.

PART IV

IMPORTATION, WARRANTY AND DEFENCES

Importation

29. (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), the importation of any
food which does not comply with the provisions of this Act or any
regulation made thereunder is prohibited.

(2) Where food which is sought to be imported into Malaysia

is processed food in a finished form and if sold in Malaysia constitutes
an offence relating to labelling, the food may be imported into
Malaysia for the purpose of relabelling it so that it complies with
the provisions of this Act relating to labelling.

(3) Where food which is sought to be imported into Malaysia

is raw or semi-processed food and if sold in Malaysia constitutes
an offence, the food may be imported into Malaysia for the purpose
of reprocessing or reconditioning it so that it complies with the
provisions of this Act.

(4) Where such food is imported into Malaysia for the purposes
of relabelling, reprocessing or reconditioning it and the food is not
relabelled, reprocessed or reconditioned within three months of
the importation, the food shall be exported by the importer within
a period of two months or such other period as the Minister may
determine and, where it is not so exported, it shall be forfeited and
disposed of as the Minister may direct.
32 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

(5) The Director may require the importer to relabel, reprocess

or recondition the food in a designated area under the supervision
of an authorized officer to ensure that the relabelling, reprocessing
or reconditioning of the food comply with the provisions of this
Act.

(6) The Minister may exempt any food or class of food from
the provisions of this section.

Warranty

30. (1) No manufacturer or distributor of, or dealer in, any food

specified by the Minister shall sell such food to any vendor unless
a written warranty or other written statement is given that the food
complies with the provisions of this Act or any regulation made
thereunder.

(2) Any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection

(1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment
for a term not exceeding three years or to fine or to both.

Reliance on written warranty a good defence

31. (1) Subject to the provisions of this section it shall be a good

defence in any prosecution for an offence under this Act or any
regulation made thereunder if the defendant proves that—
(a) he purchased the food sold by him in reliance on a written
warranty or other written statement as to the nature of the
food purchased signed by or on behalf of the person from
whom the defendant purchased the same;
(b) he had no reason to believe that the food sold did not
conform to such written warranty or statement; and
(c) if the food had truly conformed to such written warranty
or statement, the sale of the food by the defendant would
not have constituted the offence charged against him.

(2) No written warranty or other written statement given or

made by a person resident outside Malaysia shall be any defence
under this section unless the defendant proves that he had taken
reasonable steps to ascertain and did in fact believe in the truth
of the matters set forth in such written warranty or statement.
 Food 33

(3) No written warranty or other written statement shall be any

defence in any prosecution unless the defendant—
(a) has within fourteen days after the receipt of such warranty
or statement furnished a copy thereof to the Director or
any officer authorized by him in this particular respect;
and
(b) has within seven days after service of the summons
delivered to the prosecutor a copy of such warranty or
statement with a written notice stating that he intends to
rely thereon and specifying the name and address of the
person from whom he received it and also within the
same time sent by registered post a like notice of his
intention to such person.

(4) When the defendant is an agent or servant of a person who

purchased the food under such a warranty or statement he shall be
entitled to the benefit of this section in the same manner and to
the same extent as his employer or principal would have been, if
he had been the defendant:

Provided that the agent or servant further proves that he had no

reason to believe that the food did not conform to such warranty
or statement.

Penalty for false warranty

32. (1) Any person who in respect of any food sold by him as
principal or agent gives to the purchaser a false warranty in writing
commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment
for a term not exceeding two years or to fine or to both:

Provided that it shall be a defence if he proves to the satisfaction

of the court that when he gave the warranty he had reason to
believe that the statements or descriptions contained therein were
true.

(2) The provisions of subsection 19(2) to the effect that no

proceedings shall be instituted after the expiration of one hundred
and fifty days from the time of purchasing or procuring any food
shall not apply in relation to a false warranty.
34 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

PART V

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Prosecution

32A. No prosecution shall be instituted for an offence under this

Act or any regulation made under this Act without the consent in
writing of the Public Prosecutor.

Power to compound

33. (1) The Director or any authorized officer authorized by the

Director may, with the consent in writing of the Public Prosecutor,
compound any compoundable offence committed by any person
by making a written offer to the person suspected of having committed
the offence to compound the offence upon payment to the Director
or the authorized officer of an amount of money not exceeding
fifty percentum of the amount of maximum fine for that offence
within the time specified in the offer.

(2) An offer under subsection (1) may be made at any time after
the offence has been committed, but before any prosecution for it
has been instituted, and if the amount specified in the offer is not
paid within the time specified in the offer or within such extended
period as the Director or the authorized officer may grant, prosecution
for the offence may be instituted at any time after that against the
person to whom the offer was made.

(3) If an offence has been compounded under subsection (1)—

(a) no prosecution shall be instituted after that in respect of
the offence against the person to whom the offer to
compound was made; and
(b) any food or appliance seized shall be forfeited, destroyed
or returned to that person, as the Director or the authorized
officer deems fit after taking into consideration the nature
of the offence and the condition of the food or appliance,
and no further proceedings shall be taken in respect of
the food.

(4) All sums of money received by the Director or the authorized

officer under this section shall be paid into and form part of the
Federal Consolidated Fund.
 Food 35

(5) In this section, “compoundable offence” means an offence

under this Act or any regulation made under this Act and prescribed
to be a compoundable offence by regulations made under this Act.

Offence by body corporate

33A. Where a body corporate commits an offence under this Act

or any regulations made under this Act, any person who, at the
time of the commission of the offence, was a director, manager,
secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate or was
purporting to act in any such capacity, or was in any manner or
to any extent responsible for the management of any of the affairs
of the body corporate, or was assisting in such management—
(a) may be charged severally or jointly in the same proceedings
with the body corporate; and
(b) where the body corporate is found guilty of the offence,
shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence unless, having
regard to the nature of his functions in that capacity and
to all circumstances, he proves—
(i) that the offence was committed without his
knowledge, consent or connivance; and
(ii) that he took all reasonable precautions and had
exercised due diligence to prevent the commission
of the offence.

Protection against legal proceedings

33B. No action, suit, prosecution or other proceedings shall be

brought, instituted or maintained in any court against any authorized
officer on account of or in respect of any act done or omitted to
be done for the purpose of carrying into effect this Act unless it
can be proven that the act was done or omitted to be done in bad
faith and not in a reasonable belief that it was necessary for the
purpose intended to be served thereby.

Indemnity

33C. (1) The Government shall not be liable to make good any
damage which an owner or occupier or person in charge of any
food premises may sustain as a result of an entry, search or seizure
36 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

under this Act, unless the damage was caused by the wilful neglect
or default of a public officer.

(2) In the event of any dispute as to the amount of compensation

in respect of any damage so caused, the amount shall be summarily
ascertained and determined by a Magistrate’s court.

Power to make regulations

34. The Minister may make regulations for the better carrying
into effect the purposes and provisions of this Act, and in particular
and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, for all or
any of the following matters:
(a) to prescribe the standard, composition, strength, potency,
purity, quality, weight, quantity, shelflife or other property
of any food or any ingredient or component thereof;
(b) to prohibit the addition of any specified substance;
(c) to prohibit the addition of more than the specified quantity
of a permissible substance;
(d) to declare that any food or class of food is adulterated
due to the presence therein or addition thereto or extraction
or omission therefrom of any prescribed substance or
class of substance;
(e) to prohibit any mode of preparation or preservation of
any food;
(f) in respect of the use of any substance as an ingredient
of any food so as to prevent the consumer or purchaser
from being deceived or misled as to its quality, quantity,
character, value, composition, effect, merit or safety or
to prevent injury to the health of the consumer or purchaser;
(g) to secure the cleanliness and freedom from contamination
or adulteration of any food in the course of its preparation,
preservation, packaging, storage, conveyance, distribution
or sale and the cleanliness of places, receptacles, appliances,
and vehicles used in such preparation, preservation,
packaging, storage, conveyance, distribution or sale and
to secure the proper conduct of place in which the
preparation or sale of food is carried out and for these
purposes to require any person to submit to a medical
examination by a person authorized in this respect;
 Food 37

(h) to regulate food premises and persons engaged in or

occupied with any of the activities in relation to food
premises or employed in such premises;
(i) (Deleted by Act A1117);
(j) in respect of the carriage of food subject to the provisions
of this Act including the licensing of vehicles used for
the carriage of food;
(k) to prescribe the mode of labelling of food sold in packages
or otherwise the matter to be contained or not to be
contained in such labels;
(l) to prescribe the size, dimensions and other specifications
of packages of food;
(m) to prescribe the method of analysis of any food and the
form of certificate of analysis;
(n) to prescribe standards and conditions to be observed by
laboratories approved in respect of the analysis of food
for the purposes of this Act;
(o) to provide for the registration and licencing of laboratories
and analysts and to prescribe the fees thereof;
(p) to prescribe the fees to be paid in respect of analysis of
any food by an analyst and for any copy of the result of
any analysis and for any licence issued or registration
effected under this Act or under any regulation made
thereunder, including any licence or registration relating
to the importation and exportation of food;
(q) to prescribe the fees to be paid in respect of any licence
or certificate issued or registration effected under this
Act or any regulation made thereunder relating in any
way to the importation, exportation, preparation,
preservation, packaging, storage, conveyance, distribution
or sale of any food;
(r) to prohibit or regulate the sale, advertisement or importation
or exportation of any food;
(ra) to provide for any matter relating to the recalling, removal
or withdrawal from sale of food from food premises;
(s) to prescribe food which requires warranty to be given
and the form of such warranty;
38 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

(t) to prohibit the sale of specified food otherwise than by

weight;
(u) to require persons who sell food to maintain such books
and records necessary for the proper enforcement and
administration of this Act;
(v) to prescribe requirements respecting the packaging of
any food and to prohibit the placing in food for sale or
in packages of such food any toy, coin or other article;
(w) to prescribe penalties of a fine not exceeding *ten thousand
ringgit or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two
years for a contravention of any regulations made under
this Act;
(x) to prescribe anything which is to be or may be prescribed
by regulations.

Repeal and savings

35. (1) The following Ordinances are repealed to the extent that
they relate to food:
(a) Sale of Food and Drugs Ordinance 1952 [No. 28 of 1952];
(b) Public Health Ordinance of Sabah [Sabah No. 7 of 1960];
and
(c) Public Health Ordinance of Sarawak [Sarawak No. 24 of
1962].

(2) Nothing in this Act shall affect the past operation of or

anything done under the provisions of any law relating to food
passed before the commencement of this Act provided that any
right, liberty, privilege, obligation or liability existing at the
commencement of this Act by virtue of any such law shall except
as hereinafter provided, be subject to the provisions of this Act.

Application to tobacco, etc.

36. (1) The provisions of this Act so far as they are applicable
shall apply, with such modifications as may be provided in regulations
made under this Act, to tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, snuff, and other
like substance in the same manner as the provisions apply to food.
*NOTE—Previously “five”–see Food (Amendment) Act 2001 [Act A1117].
 Food 39

(2) Without prejudice to the powers of the Minister to make

regulations under this Act, the Minister may make regulations
providing for all or any of the following:
(a) the regulation of or prohibition against the advertising or
sponsorship of tobacco products;
(b) the mode of labelling of cigarette containers and the
matters to be contained or not to be contained in such
labels;
(c) the procedure for the taking of samples of tobacco products
for analysis;
(d) the prohibition against smoking of tobacco products in
specified buildings and the declaration of any place as
a no smoking place and for notices to be placed at such
place;
(e) the prohibition against the sale to, or having in possession,
buying, smoking or chewing by, persons below the age
of eighteen years of tobacco products; and
(e) any other matter which the Minister deems expedient or
necessary for giving full effect to the control and regulation
of the preparation, sale, purchase, use or consumption of
tobacco products.
40 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281

LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 281

FOOD ACT 1983

LIST OF AMENDMENTS

Amending law Short title In force from

Act A1117 Food (Amendment) Act 2001 28-09-2001

 Food 41

LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 281

FOOD ACT 1983

LIST OF SECTIONS AMENDED

Section Amending authority In force from

2 Act A1117 28-09-2001

3A Act A1117 28-09-2001
4 Act A1117 28-09-2001
8 Act A1117 28-09-2001
10 Act A1117 28-09-2001
12A Act A1117 28-09-2001
13 Act A1117 28-09-2001
13A Act A1117 28-09-2001
13B Act A1117 28-09-2001
13C Act A1117 28-09-2001
19 Act A1117 28-09-2001
20 Act A1117 28-09-2001
22 Act A1117 28-09-2001
23A Act A1117 28-09-2001
24 Act A1117 28-09-2001
28 Act A1117 28-09-2001
32 Act A1117 28-09-2001
32A Act A1117 28-09-2001
33 Act A1117 28-09-2001
33A Act A1117 28-09-2001
33B Act A1117 28-09-2001
33C Act A1117 28-09-2001
34 Act A1117 28-09-2001
36 Act A1117 28-09-2001

DICETAK OLEH
PERCETAKAN NASIONAL MALAYSIA BERHAD,
KUALA LUMPUR
BAGI PIHAK DAN DENGAN PERINTAH KERAJAAN MALAYSIA
42 Laws of Malaysia ACT 281